201 KAR 8:470. Coronal polishing duties of dental assistants.

      RELATES TO: KRS 313.345

      STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 313.220(4), 313.345

      NECESSITY AND FUNCTION AND CONFORMITY: KRS 313.220(4) authorizes the board to regulate the use of dental auxiliary personnel. KRS 313.345 authorizes the board to promulgate administrative regulations regarding certification requirements, duties, training, and standards of practice that may be performed by a dental assistant, which may include coronal polishing as set forth in this administrative regulation.

      Section 1. The dental assisting course required by KRS 313.345(6)(c) shall be:

      (1) An eight (8) hour course;

      (2) Taught at an institution of dental education accredited by the Council on Dental Accreditation; and

      (3) Inclusive of the following:

      (a) Overview of the dental team;

      (b) Dental ethics, jurisprudence and legal understanding of procedures allowed by each dental team member;

      (c) Management of patient records, maintenance of patient privacy, and completion of proper charting;

      (d) Infection control, universal precaution and transfer of disease;

      (e) Personal protective equipment and overview of Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements;

      (f) Definition of plaque, types of stain, calculus, and related terminology and topics;

      (g) Dental tissues surrounding the teeth and dental anatomy and nomenclature;

      (h) Ergonomics of proper positioning of patient and dental assistant;

      (i) General principles of dental instrumentation;

      (j) Rationale for performing coronal polishing;

      (k) Abrasive agents;

      (l) Coronal polishing armamentarium;

      (m) Warnings of trauma which can be caused by improper techniques in polishing;

      (n) Clinical coronal polishing technique and demonstration;

      (o) Written comprehensive examination as required by Section 3 of this administrative regulation;

      (p) Completion of the reading component as required by Section 2 of this administrative regulation; and

      (q) Clinical competency as set forth in Section 5 of this administrative regulation.

      Section 2. (1) A required reading component shall be prepared by each institution of dental education.

      (2) The reading component shall:

      (a) Consist of the topics established in Section 1(a) through (m) of this administrative regulation; and

      (b) Be provided to the applicant prior to the course described in Section 1 in this administrative regulation.

      (3) The board shall review and approve the reading component for each institution.

      Section 3. (1) The qualifying exam to establish compliance with KRS 313.345(1) and Section 7 of this administrative regulation shall be a comprehensive test on dental assisting prepared by the institution that is providing the dental assisting course.

      (2) The minimum passing score on the examination shall be seventy-five (75) percent.

      Section 4. The institutions of dental education approved to offer the dental assisting course in Kentucky shall be:

      (1) University of Louisville School of Dentistry;

      (2) University of Kentucky College of Dentistry;

      (3) Western Kentucky University Dental Hygiene Program;

      (4) Lexington Community College Dental Hygiene Program; and

      (5) Kentucky Community Technical College System Dental Hygiene or Dental Assisting Programs.

      Section 5. Clinical Competency. (1) A portion of the dental assisting course shall be completed by the dental assistant and the supervising dentist in a clinical dental setting.

      (2) This clinical competency shall consist of hands-on clinical experience on a live patient where the dental assistant shall demonstrate clinical competency in coronal polishing.

      (3) The supervising dentist shall;

      (a) Verify clinical competency in coronal polishing in writing to the institution; and

      (b) Provide a copy of the verification of clinical competency in coronal polishing in writing to the dental assistant.

      Section 6. The institution shall:

      (1) Issue a certificate to the Kentucky Board of Dentistry verifying that the assistant has completed all requirements as set forth in KRS 313.345 and Sections 1, 2, and 3 of this administrative regulation; and

      (2) Provide information on the assistant to the board including:

      (a) Name;

      (b) Home address;

      (c) Social Security number; and

      (d) Work address of the applicant.

      (3) The board shall:

      (a) Retain a copy of the certificate and the information received from the institution; and

      (b) Forward the certificate to the assistant at the address furnished by the institution.

      Section 7. The dental assistant and the supervising dentist of the dental assistant shall retain:

      (1) A certificate of successful completion of the dental assisting course; and

      (2) Proof of one (1) year of full-time, clinical dental office experience.

      Section 8. (1) A dental assistant who holds a certificate to perform coronal polishing from another state or jurisdiction or who provides documentation acceptable to the board of training at a dental hygiene or dental assisting program accredited by the Council on Dental Accreditation, may apply for and be granted a certificate to perform coronal polishing in Kentucky under subsection (2) of this section.

      (2) In order to qualify for the certificate the applicant shall submit the following:

      (a) A copy of the credentials issued in the other jurisdiction; and

      (b) A copy of the law and administrative regulations of that jurisdiction which specify requirements that are equal to or greater than the requirements established in KRS 313.345 and this administrative regulation; or

      (c) A syllabus of course work successfully completed by the applicant from the accrediting dental hygiene or dental assisting program; and

      (d) Verification of successful completion of the accredited course. (29 Ky. R. 2387; eff. 5-15-03.)